Ororo stepped up to address the assembled people of Haven. What once was a small group of less than forty people was now a community four times that size. The buzz of chatter fell quiet. “Hello all! I have endeavoured to meet each of you, but if anyone does not know me, my name is Ororo Munroe, and back before all this, I was an X-Man and a teacher. I have some bad news, some good news, and a request to make of you.
“Haven is now filled to the brim with people. We simply have not been able to compete with the swelling population. Haven is large, but it is but one house, and in leaps and bounds, this community has expanded to become a village. We must inevitably prepare to be a town.
“Construction is one thing, but we have realised that it isn’t enough. There is another house northeast of here, just up the road. It is large like this one, the gates must be repaired, but the boundary wall is strong. Some among you know of this house due to the tunnel project. The tunnel is almost ready to break ground on the other side, and work is ready to begin on our new wall, a structure we intend to surround a number of acres. While the wall is under construction, there will be safe passage between Haven and the new house through the tunnel. Unfortunately, there is a task that remains before we can move some of our residents into the new house.”
Ororo took a moment’s pause for breath, and for the quiet stirrings of conversation that had begun, to dissipate once more. “The infected appear to be congregating within the second house. We see them entering and leaving the premises, and while we cannot be completely sure of numbers, there are at least three dozen inside at any given time. It is unclear if they are being drawn together by some kind of enhanced infected, or if there may be some other factor attracting them. What we do know is that we will need volunteers to enter the building and clear it of all infected.
“This is not a request I make lightly. I will be going with the volunteers. Please come to me in the next three days if you are able and willing to volunteer for this task. Thank you.” Her gaze swept the room, making eye contact with many before she gave a small nod, and stepped back. There were other people to speak, and other matters to be addressed today.
